“Brothers and sisters, be patient until the Lord comes again. See how farmers wait for their precious crops to grow. They wait patiently for fall and spring rains. You, too, must be patient. Don’t give up hope. The Lord will soon be here” (James 5:7-8 GW).
It’s important to remember that God is always working behind the scenes, even through the global pandemic and any other problems you may be facing right now. Trust him, and be patient.
How do you do that? What do you do while you’re waiting? How do you build a faith that trusts God during the delays?
“Brothers and sisters, be patient until the Lord comes again. See how farmers wait for their precious crops to grow. They wait patiently for fall and spring rains. You, too, must be patient. Don’t give up hope. The Lord will soon be here” (James 5:7-8 GW).
Like farmers, you need to wait expectantly. While a farmer waits, he prepares for the harvest. He gets ready. He doesn’t sit around thinking, “I wonder if this is going to grow or not.” He expects it to grow. He prepares for the harvest so that when it comes, he can reap the benefits.
You need to wait expectantly as you trust God to act and provide. Psalm 130:5 says, “I wait expectantly, trusting God to help, for he has promised” (TLB). That promise is all over the Bible, in verses like Isaiah 49:23: “No one who waits for my help will be disappointed” (GNT).
What have you been waiting for God to do? Maybe you’ve been waiting for him to transform your marriage, solve a financial problem, heal a hurt, or reach someone in your family who is not a believer. Whatever you’ve been waiting on God to do, do you really expect him to do it? If you’re not preparing yourself while you’re waiting, you’re not really expecting anything to happen.
A lot of times we think we’re waiting on God, but God’s just waiting on us. He’s saying, “You’re not ready to handle the blessing I want to give you. I want you to grow up first. You’re not waiting on me. I’m waiting on you.”
If you’re tired and worn out because of this crisis, you need to remember to wait on God. You need to get still, get with God’s Word, and learn how to be more like him. Then, you get busy doing the work that will prepare you for the harvest.
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Help Share the Good News of Jesus with the World!
In God’s Answers to Life’s Difficult Questions, Pastor Rick Warren takes you to the Bible to find practical, life-changing guidance for some of life’s biggest struggles.
This book will help you:
- Cope with stress in a healthy, biblical way
- Find peace and confidence in times of crisis
- Rebound from failure and move forward with purpose
- Overcome loneliness and build meaningful relationships
- Experience real, lasting change through God’s truth
Request your copy today when you give to help take the hope of Jesus to the world through Daily Hope. And thank you for your partnership!
*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of materials you received from Daily Hope.
